After The Music Stopped Playing
by ChloeRhiannonX
Summary: The more he called her Courtney, the less he called her Princess.


**After The Music Stopped Playing **

The years had been kind to her, at least that was what he thought. From the angle he stood, standing in the doorway and staring at the woman sat on the bed they had shared for the last twenty-eight years, he could easily point out the crows feet appearing by her eyes, no doubt a sign that she worked herself too much. He could see the grey hairs starting to make their home, even though she had only dyed her hair four days ago. The way she slumped, so tired of the endless battle called life, made his heart break a little. But she was still beautiful to him.

It was his wife who had suggested it, certainly not him, but they both knew it would have come eventually. They had married too young, twenty was no age to start a life together. Now they were wishing they had listened to everyone who told them not to rush it. They had been in love back then. But now, at the age of thirty-seven, the passion was gone. The fire that had sparked the moment they met at the tender age of sixteen had long burned out. It wasn't that neither of them tried, but they were just both so tired of giving it their all and not receiving any satisfaction.

"Courtney," he sighed, rubbing his hand down his face, searching for some consoling words. She gave a half-hearted scoff at the sound of her name. He looked back up at her, wondering what he could have done now.

"At what point," Courtney breathed, her voice shakier than she had planned it being, "did you stop calling me Princess?" She shook her head in what seemed to be disgrace, but he could tell it disappointment. "At what point did I stop being your Princess, Duncan?" Duncan bit his lip to stop a witty reply from escaping his lips. If it had been any other situation it would have been acceptable, even expected of him, but right now Courtney didn't need it.

The age-old punk sat down next to her, she felt the dip in the bed but didn't turn to look at him. The tears in her eyes were starting to well up again, even though she thought she was all out by this point.

"Me and you," she continued to speak, her voice quivering. "We haven't been us for a long time, Duncan. We haven't been in love for such a long time. And I'm tired. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of all this. That's why I want to..."

Duncan nodded as his wife trailed off. He knew what she meant, she didn't have to say it a second time. He had known this was coming for a long time, though he never wanted to admit it. He didn't want to think of it as true. His Courtney-his Princess-she was supposed to be his whole world. Their marriage vows had sealed it, or at least should have done. But no one tells you what happens when the music stops playing and everyone stops dancing. Movies don't show you what happily ever after means, they leave you to figure it out yourself, even though you're not as ready as you thought you once were and you realize maybe you screwed up your whole life because you didn't listen to that piece of advice your mom gave you; don't try to find someone else until you've found yourself.

"You really want to go through with it?" Courtney nodded. It stung her heart to do so, but she did it anyway. Their relationship was not what it once was, anyone could see that. They had been in a downward spiral from that first doctors appointment and Courtney could see the floor so close in sight now, but she didn't want to crash. She wanted to get off while she still could. "You really want a divorce?" Duncan's voice broke at the taboo word. Courtney nodded again, fresh tears weaving streams down her face.

Your happily ever after doesn't end so happily when after the countless visits to midwife's and fertility doctors you finally decide it's not going to work. Feeling like a failure is your only option when all your wife wants is a baby and yet you can't even give her that. Today was the last day for Duncan because as soon as the old couple got into their beat up car the words that she had held back for so long tumbled from Courtney's mouth leaving her husband speechless. And terrified. Duncan wanted to curl up into a ball like he had when he was a kid. Back then the nightmares that plagued him were always washed away with a hug and a few gentle words from mom. Courtney wanted a divorce, Duncan couldn't blame her.

Now there was no one there to hug away the everlasting nightmare he was living.

**A/N: **_**The more he called her Courtney, the less he called her Princess.**_

**If I wasn't feeling like a zombie, the tears would be pouring down my cheeks by now...**

**I refuse to write Scourtney, so I thought I'd rip my OTP apart a little more. **

**I just really needed to write something. It was intended to be a lot longer, but I think I like it like this. Short. Not so sweet. Heartbreaking.**

**Thanks for reading, please review (:**

**Love ChloeRhiannonX **


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